Planet of the Apes has become one of the world’s most beloved franchises, but this would not be possible without the original 1963 novel and its first film adaptation from 1968. The original book was titled La Planète des singes and written by French author Pierre Boulle. It told the story of three human explorers from Earth who visited a planet dominated by intelligent and civilized great apes. This was also true of the film version starring Charlton Heston, although, upon further inspection, there were several striking differences.
While the Planet of the Apes movie franchise has had its share of sequels, remakes, and reboots, Boulle’s novel was a singular experience that told a story that, in many ways, was significantly different from the 1968 film version. With several changes concerning characters, themes, and even its iconic ending, when all is said and done, there’s never truly been a faithful adaptation of Boulle’s original novel. Which one is superior is certainly up for debate, but those only familiar with one version will certainly be surprised at the differences between them.
10 A Different Era
The Planet of the Apes has two different settings
Although the book and film versions of Planet of the Apes each took place in an imagined sci-fi future, the initial setup for these two stories was entirely different. Pierre Boulle’s original novel set up its story as an interstellar voyage beginning in the year 2500 with no reference to contemporary times at all. However, the Planet of the Apes movie from 1968 brought things closer to the actual era in which the movie was made, as the astronauts departed Earth in 1972.
This change makes sense, considering the Planet of the Apes film was produced right in the midst of the American space race and came out just one year before mankind landed on the moon. By changing the initial setting in the film, the scientific anxieties seen in Planet of the Apes felt much closer to reality as the dark consequences of space travel were explored. This change became less relevant as the film progressed, and due to time dilation, the astronauts traveled 701 years into the future, from 1972 to 2673.
9 Ulysse Mérou Versus George Taylor
The Planet of the Apes changed its main character
The most obvious change when Planet of the Apes was adapted from the page to the screen concerned its lead protagonist. In Pierre Boulle’s original novel, the main character was a French journalist named Ulysse Mérou, and the story was told from the perspective of a manuscript that he had written. However, for the film, Ulysse was reimagined as George Taylor, a twentieth-century astronaut played by Charlton Heston.
The differences between Ulysse and Taylor were striking, as they boasted very different personalities and motivations. While Ulysse was a sharp and curious intellectual who was very careful in his actions, Taylor was far more bombastic and aggressive as he sought to free himself from the captivity of his hyper-intelligent primate captors. This change in the two heroes’ characterization showcased the necessary changes to adapt a story for the screen, as Heston’s characterization had much more appeal for a Hollywood movie as he pushed the narrative forward through action rather than introspection.
8 A More Technologically Advanced Society
The Planet of the Apes’ two societies looked quite different from one another
The two futuristic societies depicting Planet of the Apes showcased primates utilizing advanced technology far beyond the capabilities of any gorilla, orangutan, or chimpanzee. However, when comparing the novel and the 1968 film, it’s striking how much more advanced the society in the book is shown to be. This major change made the book and movie quite different from one another, as the two societies were almost incomparable when looking at their technological advancement.
While the citizens of Ape City in the film live a more primitive existence, complete with horses and carriages, scrolls, and stone buildings more akin to a pre-industrial era human society, the apes in the book have technology equal to modern humans. This was likely more to do with the budget for the Planet of the Apes movie than an intentional diversion from the novel, as it was far less expensive to depict a more primitive society than a highly advanced one.
7 Apes Riding Horses Like Men
The Planet of the Apes’s novel had more advanced hunting methods
One of the best scenes from the original Planet of the Apes movie was when the apes were first revealed riding horses as they hunted humans and imprisoned them. This powerful cinematic depiction showcased the superiority of apes in this futuristic society as they rounded up their prey like cattle and captured George Taylor, who was forced into his cell. However, the striking image of apes riding horses was nowhere to be seen in Pierre Boulle’s novel, as the apes had technology much more advanced than simple horseriding.
Instead of riding horses as a main mode of transport, the apes in the Planet of the Apes novel utilized helicopters and trucks as they hunted humans for sport. This was yet another example of just how much more advanced the apes in the book were to the novel, as they wore the fanciest clothes, drank the finest wine, and lived in cities much larger than what’s seen on screen. In the same way the magnitude of Ape City was reduced for the film version, budgetary concerns likely stood in the way of a more faithful adaptation.
6 Dr. Zaius
The Planet of the Apes’ film gives Dr. Zaius a far more prominent role
One important character in both versions of Planet of the Apes was Dr. Zaius, although his role was expanded upon a lot more in the 1968 version. In the book, Dr. Zaius is portrayed as the primary doubter of the astronaut’s claims to intelligence, but beyond this, readers don’t see an awful lot of him. In contrast, Dr. Zaius was the main antagonist of the movie, whose central purpose was to undermine and control humankind as he desperately feared they would one day reveal their intelligence and overthrow the ape-led society.
This major change gave the film version a totally different narrative, as leading apes did not merely view humans as the equivalent of an average farmyard animal but as an actual threat that could undermine their existence. This feeling stems from other changes the movie made from the original book, as Dr. Zaius had prior knowledge of humans’s previous role as rulers of what was once called planet Earth. Dr. Zaius knew that humanity existed before ape-led society and that their actions caused the Forbidden Zone to become desolate.
5 Thematic Differences
The Planet of the Apes’ film addresses new concerns
Pierre Boulle’s original novel was a satirical look at the workings of society, the inherent qualities that define intelligence, and who gets to decide who is worthy of participating in civilization. The rich thematic resonance of this satire was carried forward into the movie as it brought up pressing questions around the treatment of humans who were deemed to be lesser than their ape counterparts. In both the novel and the book, humans are hunted for sport, and inhumane treatment of them gets brought to the forefront.
However, one major theme that was explored in the movie but not in the film was the way Planet of the Apes addressed religion and evolution. In the movie, Dr. Zaius is fascinated with the idea that apes are God’s chosen creatures and fears the idea that they evolved from the same source. This point was even further highlighted through Zaius’s job description as Defender of the Faith and Minister of Science.
4 The Planet Soror
The Planet of the Apes’ novel has a major planetary difference
Viewers who have yet to catch up on the 1968 film Planet of the Apes may be shocked to learn the final twist that the planet George Taylor had found himself stuck on was actually Earth the entire time. This was because apes overtook humanity after a likely nuclear disaster saw the Forbidden Zone become desolate. This apocalyptic occurrence led humanity to regress into a primitive mute state as ape society was formed out of the ashes of what was once man-made civilization.
This was not the case at all in Pierre Boulle’s novel, as, rather than taking place on a future version of Earth, it was actually set on the planet Soror. This significant difference was actually maintained in the ending of Tim Burton’s 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes, in which it was revealed that everything took place on another planet called Ashlar. While the 1968 version may be the best-known retelling of this story, it’s interesting to note it was not originally envisioned that way.
3 Nova’s Role
The Planet of the Apes’ love interest is not the same in each version
The mute human character of Nova was seen in both the Planet of the Apes book and the novel, although her representation differed greatly. While Nova was the main love interest in both depictions, her role in the book was more nuanced as she showcased a greater level of emotional intelligence. While there were glimmers of her connection with Taylor in the movie, it was in the novel that she formed a much more three-dimensional and believable connection with Ulysse.
In the book, Nova and Ulysse have a child who can speak. This development showcased that although humanity had lost its place among the most advanced creatures in the universe, it may be possible for them to reclaim their once-dominant position. As a partner and a mother, Nova’s role in the Planet of the Apes novel gave her far more agency than the scantily clad eye-candy representation portrayed by Linda Harrison in the film.
2 Returning To Earth
The Planet of the Apes’ novel takes things back to where it all started
Custom image by Yalin Chacon.
As Pierre Boulle’s Planet of the Ape novel takes place on the planet Soror rather than the futuristic version of Earth seen in the film, they have two entirely different endings. In the book, Ulysse Mérou still meets and falls in love with human Nova, and out of this, they have a son named Sirius, who can walk and talk at three months old. Fearing for their lives, Ulysse and his family take the place of human test subjects on a space program, and they manage to leave the planet.
While George Taylor, the film character, was doomed to remain on the futuristic Earth seen in Planet of the Apes, Ulysse reprogrammed his ship to take him back to his version of Earth. However, by the time Ulysse made it back to Earth, centuries had passed, and, in an ironic twist of fate, apes had become the dominant species on his planet. Ulysse, Nova, and his son then set off to space once again, and he wrote the novel’s manuscript as a document of all that happened.
1 The Iconic Ending
The Planet of the Apes’ iconic twist is just in the film
The litany of changes made in adapting Pierre Boulle’s Planet of the Ape novel for the screen meant the ending was entirely different. This led to the inclusion of the iconic Statue of Liberty conclusion, which stood as one of Hollywood’s most perfect movie endings. This famous scene saw the marooned astronaut George Taylor set off into the Forbidden Zone only to be confronted with the last remnants of human society, revealing to him that the planet he was on was Earth the entire time, and humanity had destroyed itself through a likely nuclear apocalypse.
As George Taylor shouted, “You maniacs, you blew it up,” it was not the apes he was cursing, but humankind for its foolish endeavors. This iconic ending better represented American anxieties. When Planet of the Apes was released in 1968, the idea of mutually assured nuclear destruction was pressing fear amid ongoing Cold War tensions. While it may be shocking for viewers to learn the Planet of the Apes’ most iconic scene was not in the book at all, it’s a testament to the movie’s lasting legacy that it carved out its own unique identity as a true sci-fi classic.
Planet of the Apes (1968) 0
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George Taylor, an astronaut, finds himself on a strange planet ruled by apes after his spaceship crashes. In this topsy-turvy world, apes are the intelligent rulers while humans are mute and oppressed. Captured and held in captivity, Taylor’s struggle for survival leads him to an alliance with Zira and Cornelius, two chimpanzee scientists who recognize his intelligence. As Taylor uncovers the dark secrets of this civilization, he faces shocking revelations that challenge everything he knows about his own species and their future.
Director Franklin J. Schaffner Release Date April 3, 1968 Distributor(s) 20th Century Fox Writers Michael Wilson , Rod Serling , Pierre Boulle , John T. Kelley Cast Charlton Heston , Roddy McDowall , Kim Hunter , Maurice Evans , James Whitmore , James Daly , Linda Harrison , Robert Gunner Runtime 112 Minutes Main Genre Sci-Fi Expand